"Even if you or I can't afford to go out to a game, there are obviously people who can because Fenway is always sold out. I would have a much bigger problem if the players were all making, say $500,000/year max, while the owners pocketed the rest. I would rather see 25 players + the owner make insane amounts of money than just the owner!! That's just my opinion though."

I share your opinion since obviously there are enough people willing to fork over their hard earned money to allow both the owners, and players to laugh all the way to the bank........However I would much rather see the compensation for baseball players and owners more reflect their true value to society......In that case we could both afford to go to a few games a year.....Maybe even buy a beer or two!!!!

Are you using the original language understanding of teton in your name or ar you just enamored witht he Grand Teton Mountains? Obviously you know your French :-)) ......But just to keep this site "G" rated!!!! My wife and I own a home in Jackson Hole Wyoming....The view of the Grand Teton is right out our bed room window!!!

No answer necessary, of course.

Your take on the open market and the issues involved is something that I've been trying to share with the fokls I work with and for for quite a while now. I love sports, but the dollar drain elsewhere sharply curtails my personal/financial involvement in them. This venue is my cheep thrill, along with cable tv. (Not complaining, just reporting ... I sitll have it way, way better than at least 90% of the 6+ billion)

And as long as China and India are scarffing up oil in record setting levels, things are only going to get more expensive ... advanced ecomonies everywhere will soon be feeling more than a pinch, more like a huge grab ... Yah that is the concern...... This country is headed for a rude awaking and sadly that is coming sooner not later.... We cannot keep exporting more jobs than products. We cannot keep expecting foreign investors to invest in a country that cannot balance it's books otherwise. We cannot expect that we all are entitled to everything, make big bucks, and yet be able to buy anything we want at Walmart and Best Buy where nothing is sold that is made in America......Again, this is not the subject concern of this blog site....However I do submit MLB owes it's survival on disposable income.... I no longer have much of that sort of income left....I also assume I am not alone that way.

We could go on like this for days. I like my team and you like yours. I am guessing neither is going anywhere anytime soon. I think it is funny how all the yankee fans are saying Arod isn't worth big bucks because he folds like a deck of cards, but now that he is begging to come back he is the greatest once again. I personally wouldn't have minded having him, but I don't think the majority of Sox fans would have approved. BTW there is no way anyone would take Damon over Drew and I hope Drew does get hurt and spends considerable time on the DL. Then we can get out of that contract early. Too bad Damon doesn't have a clause like that. Lastly Giambi's 2007 salary was $23.4 million (not $17) and JD Drews was $14 million (not $15) and Lugos was $8.25 (not $9 but close). I will let you do the math. Pretty happy with my research, but you might want to rethink yours.

This is all too diabolical for me. Now I don't know what to think, given A-Rod supposedly contacting the Yankees without Boras at his side. Are the Red Sox now at a disadvantage, or is that what we are supposed to think? Is New York's presumed interest in Lowell as well as A-Rod posturing to force Theo's hand? I'd like to be inside Brian Cashman's mind right now, except there are two idiot Stienbrenners in either ear.

Sounds too much like an episode of 'Family Guy' to me. Guess I'll just sit back and watch ... and pray!

First - Mike is not going there to play first base. They are talking to him to scare A-Rod. Yes, A-Rod met with the Yankees today- but his was only for a little longer than an hour or so. No way there is a contract in place yet. If the Lowell comes back to the Sox it will not be know till the end of this week. He is getting a feel for what is out there. I for one would want A-Rod to go back to NY. This way he ties up lots of thier money and he takes an option away from Lowell. I would be more worried about the Yanks getting Santana as they really need pitching. They have three unproven Rookies in the rotation for 2008. The rumor is that Pettite is being sought after by the Blue Jays pretty agressively. They also currently do not have a closer. It is pitching that wins in the playoffs and the Sox are set there.

The Sox have really DROPPED THE BALL regarding Lowell. If the Sox give him a 4 year contract, they have locked up all starting position players from this past year, in addition to the starting rotation and key bullpen positions. With the rookies from this past year, the Sox would be even BETTER next season than this season. WITHOUT Lowell, they have to give up prospects or players, or switch their gold glove first baseman to third, and hope they can get as reliable a bat and as reliable a glove as they had in Mike. Considering that A-Rod is not much younger than Lowell and is talking about an EIGHT YEAR CONTRACT, and considering the money and years given to Drew, with a history of injuries (unlike Iron Mike), AND considering the ENORMOUS SUMS every team is getting from MLB.com, there is NO EXCUSE FOR NOT OFFERING LOWELL A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT. If the Sox lose Lowell, and don't make the World Series next year, it will be MANAGEMENT'S FAULT DUE TO THEIR GREED AND SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS.

MR. HENRY, AFTER ALL THE OTHER GOOD MOVES YOU HAVE MADE, PLEASE STEP IN AND GET MIKE LOWELL THE FOUR YEAR CONTRACT HE DESERVES. If the team ends up having to eat some of the money in the fourth year because they need to trade Mike or let him go, it will be money well spent for what he gives the team before then.

One last point: the Yankees signed Posada, who is older than Lowell, to a four year contract for big bucks because they could not afford to lose him for the next couple years, regardless of how well he plays in year 4. Why can the Yankees show this kind of forethought and not our management?

With all due respect, Cabrera is an absolutely horrific fielding third basemen. I live in Philly, so I see the Marlins all the time (I get the Mets broadcasts too). He has no range at all. He can hardly bend over given the weight he has gained. He probably won't even be able to play third if he continues on in this way.

Granted, the guy is an absolutely amazing hitter. He looks like Manny when he was younger. But the guy could either eat his way out of the league or go to the Hall of Fame. My bet right now is on the former.

If that report/those figures are true, and the Sox hold firm on their offer, I wouldn't blame Lowell for leaving the Sox. I just hope it's not for the Yankees.

If he goes, the Sox lose a team leader with the impact of an extra coach or something. All these young players coming up would sure benefit from being around him -- and his dedication to the team.

I know I've seen folks say it's not a fair analogy, given the age differential, etc., but I keep looking at the Drew contract. No way he should make more next year -- or three years even -- than Lowell. The 3-year deal should be at least $42 M, preferably at least $45 M, in my view. Maybe then, Lowell might consider a three-year deal with an option for four. At the same time, apart from the Yankees, those are good clubs making offers... I can't say "good" and "Yankees" together. It would kill me to see Lowell play for them.

Bottom line, I've never seen a better third-baseman -- and a finer member of the Sox team. Will be a shame if he goes...

Ditto, if the sox overpay do it for someone that is a good guy and leader. A Rod is a joke. Just the idea of him in a sox uniform would be terrible. Don't do it Theo! We would be no different then ther evil empire! Keep Mikey, HE WILL GET THE JOB DONE!

which is retarded, considering they spent $53 mil just to TALK to DiceK, and um, paying Drew $14 mil a year (for FIVE years, to an injury-prone player!!) because we 'needed' to replace Trot, only one of the most loyal and long-lasting Sox figures in recent memory.

Yeah four years would be a bad move. I think Theo has it right, as usual, on Mike Lowell. If Mike doesn't take our offer and the Yankees do sign A-Rod.......I wonder where we go. How about your thoughts, milloy?

BTW How are you today?

I'm hanging in there Walshy

I'd like to see them make a push for Cabrera, it may be futile if the Angels are willing to give up Kendrick & Adenhart or the Dodgers are willing to part with Kershaw (probably the best pitching prospect in the minors).

If we can't land Cabrera I'd plug in someone temporarily (Lowrie perhaps), last thing Theo should do is overpay the next best available option (ie: Lugo last year).

But again, my preference would be Miggy, as it appears the Yankees may retain the 5-7 marginal wins that we counted on them losing (A-Rod).

Which is more costly? Matching one of Lowell's supposed 4-year deals, or dealing prized youth/prospects for Cabrera? Tough call. I might have to hold on to youth/prospects and try to make another deal for a 3B that can get us through a couple of years until a stronger candidate comes available through trade or FA.

Toward the end of the season I was worried NY would extend the A-Rod negotiations until Lowell signed somewhere other than Boston, then sign A-Rod. Now I'm reading the scenario would be worse, if they signed Lowell to play first. BLECH.

If that's the case, Theo has some work to do.

Of course, "Lowell to first" could just be posturing to drive up Lowell's cost to other teams in the bidding.

The Sox need to offer a fourth year with the whole package at a hometown discount. This way Lowell gets the fourth year which I suspect is his main issue, and both sides save face because Mike gets a year and the Sox still come in lower than competing offers, so it doesn't look like either side caved. If Mikey doesn't take it, then he really doesn't want to stay in Boston as we keep hearing.